Argentina Permanent Household Survey, Fourth Quarter 2009

In 2003, data collection for Argentina household surveys was changed from periodic (May and October) to continuous, and the questionnaire was redesigned to capture more accurate data on the labor market.

At the start of continuous data collection, approximately 13,000 households were surveyed per quarter. In the third quarter of 2006, three new urban areas were added to the survey, and the sample was expanded in areas of 500,000 or fewer inhabitants, increasing the average number of participating households to around 18,000. Households in each participating area were assigned to one of 12 weeks in the quarter. Households were surveyed for two consecutive quarters. They were then removed for two consecutive quarters and returned to the survey for two more quarters, so that a household was followed over a year and a half. Data were gathered on employment, income, migration, education, housing, and demographics.